Method of forming jewelry cases and similar containers



. y 15, 0- J. M. SHIELDS 3 METHOD OF FORMING JEWELRY CASES AND SIMILARCONTAINERS Filed Jan. 26, 1928 2 SheetsSheet 1 J. M. SHIELDS 1,770,533

METHOD OF FORIING JEWELRY CASES AND SIMILAR CONTAINERS Jul 15, 1930.

Filed Jan. 26, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l Patented duly 15, 1930 gUNITED-I'STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN M. SHIELDS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,LASSIGNOR 'IO F. H. NOBLE & 00., OF CHICAGO,

4 ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS Margo]: or romaine JEWELRY cAsEsAND SIMILAR CONTAINERS Application filed Ianuary 26, 1928. Serial No.249,537.

This invention relates to improvements in jewelry cases and its purposeis to provide a novel and useful method for forming an improved caseadapted for use as a container 5 for watches, jewelry, pens and pencils,and various other articles. The principal object of the invention is toprovide for conveniently and readily forming at small cost thevimprovedjewelry case herein described by '10 stamping and punching from sheetmetal a box body member or frame member inwhich the parts necessary tothe formation of the complete box or container may be readily assembledwithout the use of auxiliary fastenl5 ing means. -In my separateapplication for patent filed as a division of this application on une20, 1929, Serial No. 372,260, for improvement in sheet metal boxes, Ihave presented claims for the improved box or case which will herein bedescribed.

The nature of the invention will be understood from the followingspecification taken 'with the accompanying drawings in which the form ofthe improved jewelry case above referred to .and my improved method offorming the same are illustrated. In the drawings, p Fig. 1 showsa-perspective view of the sheet metal blank from which the framestructure. of the box or lowerpart of the jewelry case is form%l;.

Fig; 2'is a perspective view of the sheet metal blank after the firstpunching operation has been performed thereon in the process of makingthe frame structure of the container and after the covering materialforming the exteriorfinish of the box body has beenapplied, a portion ofthis covering material being broken away to show a depres- 40 sionformed in the metal blank to accommodate' the roll of thehinge"of\thebox;

/ Fig. 3' is a perspective view similar to that of Fig. 2 showing thearrangement of the parts after the next succeeding punching .45operation of the covered-blank;

' Fig. 4-is a perspective view simila'rto that of Fig. 3 showing therelative arrangement of the'parts after a stillfurther punching and.bending operation has been performed on the covered .sheet metalstructure;

Fig. 5 is a perspective View showing the structure illustrated n Fig.4with the cover and hinges of the 'case applied thereto and with anouter lining applied on the inside of the box;

Fig. 6 is a 'cross-sectionalyiew taken at right angles to the axes ofthe hinges illustrated in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view similar to that of Fig. 5 showing thecomplete jewelry case In the manufacture of thejewelry case by themethod of the present invention the first step is-the formation of theframe structureof the box body or lower portion of the case 'to which ahinged cover is subsequently to be 'applied. Instead of forming this boxbody from cardboard or the like accordingto the practice heretoforeusually prevailing, the present invention contemplates the formation ofsuch body member from .a flat sheet of metal 10 having the rectangularform illustrated in Fig. 1, although other forms of the sheet metalblank may be employed where the shape of the final jewelry case is to beother than rectangular. After cutting the blank 10to the proper size,the next operation is to place the blank in a suitable vdie punchingmachine or the like and, by a single punching operation, project thelateral edges of the blank downwardly and outwardly, and

also form the depressions,aa for the hinge roll. At this stage ofmanufacture the blank.

is covered with the covering 21 of leather,

outwardly'and downwardly in straight lines I 45 flanges 15 and '16 andhaving its upper edges from the central portion 11 and in the com:

pleted box forms the inclined outer walls of the box body. Obviously theflanges 12 and 13 may be formed on curved lines, if desired,

therein bounded by inwardly directed flanges on its four sides. Theflanges on the longer sides of the opening 14 hai e inwardly projectingextensions 15 while the flanges at the ends of the opening 14' haveinwardly directed extensions 16.' In addition, the flange along one ofthe longer sides-of the opening 14 has a plurality of openings 17punched.

' therein to form small upwardly directed tongues 18. a The nextoperation-in the formation of the body member of'the case. is to bendthe flanges around the opening'14 downwardly while at the same timeprojecting the extensions 15 i and'16 inwardly in a horizontal plane, as

shown in Fig.4, wherethe flanges have been j bent downwardly-intovertical planes to form opposite inneriside' walls 19 and'transverse,

inner end walls 20. The-flanges 15 extend inwardly in a horizontal planefrom the walls 19 while the flanges 16 extend horizontally inward in thesame plane from the end walls 20. At the same time, the small tongues 18have been. caused to roject inwardly above the position occupied y oneof the flanges 1-5. This represents the final formation of thelowerframe structure of the ,body of the case and the flanges 15 and 16 areadapted tosup port certain parts of the completed box;

' As shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings the edges of the covering material21 within the frame structure are protected by a surrounding liningmember 22 which is in the form of a' band of relatively stiff fabric orother material having its lower edges resting on the terminatingsubstantially flush wit-h the upper edges 23- of the surrounding frameto which the covering 21has-been applied The ends'22" of the liningmember 22 areprefere,

abl secured in place by glue or the'like is further shown inFig. 5, thepartially completed case also comprises a cover 25' having a topwall-member 25 bounded'by' an integral 'surrounding flange 25" which 'isformed by punchin a sheet inetalplate to project the surroun ing flangestransversely thereto. At thesame time the top wall 25 may be punched toform a rectangular elevated portion 25%, This cover has a layer ofleather, imitation leather or other covering material 26 applied theretoby glue or the-like with the edges thereof carried upwardly inside ofthe flanges 25%. The edges of the flanges 125 are adapted-to coincidewith the edges 23 of the lower boxframe when the cover is closed. Thelower frame structure and the cover 25 are secured together b hinges 27and each hinge member is provi ed with apertures adapted to be engagedby the tongues 18 formed on the lower frame and by the other tongues 28formed on the cover. The tongues on the cover are formed by punching inthe same way that the tongues 18 were formed and after the hinges 27.arefitted in place with. these tongues enga 'ngthe apertures therein,the 3 tongues are ent transversely to hold the hinges firmlyin place,the depressions a-a formed in the box body member receiving the hingerolls to permit a close seatingof the cover upon the box. Each of thepivotally 1 connected hinge members is provided with a notch, as shownat 29 to be engaged by a curved leaf spring 30 havin substantially theform of the letter C with t e ends thereof hooked about the edges of thehinge members at the bottoms of the notches 29 These spring members aresuch-"that they will hold h the cover25 in either .an open or closedposit'ion after the cover isswung beyond an intermediate neutral point.In Fig. 6 of the drawings the springsBO are shown as 'servin to holdthe, cover 25 in its open position'w ile in Fig. 8 they are illustratedin position to maintain the coverclosed, 4

'Aiter theparts have been formed and as-:

sembled' in the manner illustrated in Fig. 5,

the liningmernbers and jewelry tray or sup the adjacent bottom flange 15and also the top wall 25* of the cover. After applying glue or paste tothecinsiderof the cover, a cover 'liningmember 33 is then put iniplaceoverlapping-the outer side of one edge of the A hinge covering 32. This=eover 33 may preferably be a sheet-ofcardboard or a rectangularcardboard frame covered Jvith silk or other material similar to'thatformingthehinge covering 32 and upon eng ing the paste or glue appliedto the insi e of-the coverlitwill be held in place and will at the sametime hold the hinge covering 32 in place by friction. If-the bodystructure I of the cover lining 33 has'suflicient stiffness andresiliency.. it may. be caused to retain itself in position withoutemploying any glue or other fastening means.

A sheet of" cardboard inner bottom wall is then placed in the bottom ofthe lower frame structure withits edges resting on theflanges 15 and 16and of such a size that it fits closelywithin the outer lining strip 22.One edge ofthecardboard 4 vsheet 34 will rest on t-heedge of the hingecovering32,and hold thelower part thereof in place 'The parts are thenin readiness 34 constituting surrounding lining member 2:2.

mg between the surrounding walls formed for the insertion of the jewelrytray or sup-- metal blank to form downwardly extending outer flanges 36'and one or more intermediate depressions 37, the single depression 37shown in Figs. T and 9 being of suitable shape to receive a wrist watchand-its connected wrist band. The sheetimetal frame 36 of the jewelrytray has an outer Covering '38 of plush or the like, the lower edges ofwhich are turned upwardly on the insides of the flanges 36 and securedin place by a sheet 39 of cardboard or sheet metal. The plush lining 38conforms to the contour of the depression 37 which enlarged at' one endas shown-in Fig. 7 to receive the watch. This jewelry tray preferablyhas a tab 40 attached to the side thereof so that it may be pulledupwardly and replaced by another tray havto receive another article ofjewelry of different shape. This tray is held in place by gravity and byfrictional contact with the The openby the covered flanges12 and 13 of.the box beneath the tray is closed by an outer bottom wall 41 made up ofa sheet 41*- of cardboard or sheet metal having a covering 41* ofleather or the like applied to the lower surface thereof. This outerbottom wall 41 lies immediately below the flanges 15 and 16.0f the boxbody, adjacent the inner :wall or cardboard sheet 34 resting on top ofsuch flanges, and is glued to such sheet to secure the parts togetherand complete the box body, the flexibility of the wall members beingsuflicient to permit a firm glued connection to be made.

Although one form of the invention has been shown and described inconnection with one method of fOI'll'llng' the improved'jeweiry case, itwill be understood that the invention may be embodied in various formsand practiced in various ways within the scope of the appended claims. I

I claim:

1. The method of forming a box body member for a jewelry case or thelike which comprises the operations of forming a sheet metal blank,bending the edges of said blank downwardly to formouter walls, punchingthe 1'ntermediate part of said blank to form an opening surrounded byinwardly directed flanges, and bending said flanges to form inner wallshaving supporting flanges extending inwardly therefrom.

2. The method of forming a box body member for a jewelry case or thelike which comprises the operations of forming a sheet metal blank,bendingthe edges of said blank downwardly to form outer walls, thensecuring a covering of flexible material to said .bent

' blank, afterwards punching the intermediate ing a depression ofdifferent conformationpart of said blank to form an opening surroundedby inwardly directed flanges, and, 'i

then' bendingsaidflanges downwardly to form inner walls havingsupporting flanges extending inwardly therefrom;

3. The method of forming a box body member for a jewelry case, or thelike whic comprises the operations of forming a sheet metal blank,bending the edges of said bank downwardly to form outer walls, punchingthe intermediate part of said blank to form an opening surrounded byinwardly directed I flanges, punching one ofsaid flanges to formupwardly extending tongues, and bending said flanges downwardly andinward- 1y to form inner walls having supporting flanges extendinginwardly from their lower edges.

4. The method of forming a box bod member for a jewelry case or the likewhic comprises the operations of forming a sheet metal blank, bendingthe edges of said blank downwardly to form .outer walls, then securing acovering of flexible material to said bent blank punching theintermediate part of said covered blank to form. an opening surroundedby inwardly directed flanges, punching one of said'flanges to formupwardly extending tongues, and bending said flanges downwardly andinwardl inner walls having supporting tending inwardly from their loweredges and on one Wall having said tongues extending inwardly. V 3

\ 5. The method of forming a, box bod member for a jewelry case or thelike whic comprises the operations of forming a sheet metal blank,bending the edges of said blank downwardly to form outer walls, thensecuring a covering of flexible material to said bent blank, afterwardspunching the intermediate part of said blank to simultaneously form anopening surrounded by inwardly directed to form' anges exflanges and uwardly extendin tongues on one of said anges, and then ending saidflanges downwardly to form inner walls having inwardly extendingsupporting flanges and having on one wall said tongues extendinginwardly. f

- 6. The method of forming a jewelry case or the like which comprisesthe operations of forming a sheet metal blank cutting outan intermediatepart of said blank to form an opening having inwardly directed flangeson ,the sides thereof,bending the metal around ope ingin an intermediatepart of said blank, wit oppositely disposed'flanges extending -inwardlyon opposite sides of saidopen ng,

punching the metal of said blank outwardly rom one ofsaid flanges toform upwardly projecting tongues, bending the metal around said openingdownwardly to form ertical inner walls one of which carries said tonguesprojecting inwardly, placing perforated hinge members over said tonguesand bending said tongues, and attachlng a cover to sald hinge members. j

8. The method of forming a jewelry case which comprises the operationsof forming a sheet metal blank, bending the edges of said blankdownwardly to form outwardly flared outer walls, formin an opening inthe intermediate part of sai blank surrounded by inwardly directedflanges, punching the metal of said blank constituting one of saidflanges to form upwardly directed tongues, bending the metalof saidblank downwardly around said opening to form innerwalls of which onewall carries said tongues directed inwardly and bending said flangestransversely to form horizontal flanges at the lower edges of said innerwalls, attaching hinges to said -tongues, and attaching a cover to saidhim 5. In testimony whereof, I have subscri d.

my name.

JOHN M. SHIELDS.

